Confrontations: Prologue
by luv2write
Summary: Read this before the NEW story called Confrontations. John Trafford, Eva's ex-fiance, meets Frank for the first time...Now he wants to know Frank's past...please R/R...NEW CHAPTER!!
1. John Trafford

_A **GREAT BIG** thank-you to Sharon (Josiecat) for helping me break through my writer's block for this one, as well as for being a wonderful proofreader!  This one is the lead in for a whole new chapter in Frank and Eva's lives that she and I are co-authoring.  Enjoy and please R/R.  Thanks!_

John Trafford had been living a rather shallow existence his whole life.  He always put himself before others and he thought that he had gotten far in life.  He was successful and wealthy, but his outlook on his personal life changed drastically a few months ago when he saw Eva for the first time since "that night."  He had seen how happy she was and just how much her relationship with him no longer mattered to her.  She spoke of her husband in the most loving of ways and that made John very curious about what that man must be like.  How was she surviving without John?  She was his for five years and was able to leave him after one night?  

John was still "with" Sarah, Eva's sister, but was never around any of her family due to the circumstances surrounding his "relationship" with her; meeting Frank was out of the question.  Sarah hadn't really gone into much detail about what Frank was like.  She only mentioned that he was working for the Denton Pharmaceutical Company and that he was rather gifted in the sciences.  Hearing that made John think of Frank as some fragile "geek" of a man.  He pictured him as a typical nerd with thick-rimmed glasses, a pocket protector, a starched white shirt with a skinny black tie, and a Drew Carey haircut.  

John thought of _himself_ as quite a catch.  He was always dressed as if he hopped out of a J. Crew catalog and always made sure he had the latest "gadgets" to impress people with.  To be blunt, he was as superficial as one can get.  He and Eva matched in appearances quite well; everyone always commented on what a lovely couple they made.  Now she was with someone who was John's exact opposite?  And how on earth could someone like that possibly _satisfy_ her?  John was, in his mind at least, a stud in the bedroom (though Eva's opinion was drastically different).

On a cool Monday morning, John was parking his car across the street from the Denton Pharmaceutical Company; he was to speak with the employees at a meeting there that morning.  As he took the keys out of the ignition of his red Porsche Boxter, he watched a blue Mustang pull into the parking lot next to the building he was to enter.  He immediately recognized it as Eva's car.  _What's she doing here?_

Eva needed to go into town that morning to see her publisher, so she and Frank rode in together.  John watched as Eva got out of the passenger's side of the car.  He had seen her from a distance once or twice since they last spoke and each time he saw her she appeared more beautiful; this time was no exception.  He then watched as the driver of the car walked around to Eva and slid his arm around her waist.  He was laying his eyes on Frank for the first time.  John really couldn't see him well enough to know whether or not his mind's conception of Frank was accurate or not.

When they reached the front of the building, Frank gave Eva a lengthy, passionate kiss.  The couple had already made love that morning, but kissing Frank made Eva long to be with him in their sacred way again.  She forced herself to pull away; Frank smiled at her.

            "Still feeling a bit frisky, love?" he purred in her ear.

            "You could say that," she replied running her finger down her husband's chest.

            "Well, we'll just have to take care of that after Faye goes to bed tonight, won't we?"

            "We just might," Eva giggled.  She pitied those who always told her that sex dwindles after marriage; she and Frank shared a sex life that only grew more passionate by the day.  She gave him another kiss, though she kept it short.  "Have a good day at work, Frankie."

            "Good luck with your new chapters, baby.  I'll see you tonight.  Your mother will be picking you up down here, right?"

            Eva nodded.  "We're going to take Faye to lunch with us after my meeting."  She playfully tapped the end of Frank's nose and flashed a smile that gave him what he always used to think was a fabled "warm and fuzzy" feeling.  "See you tonight."  Frank smiled as he watched his wife start down the sidewalk.

            Even though he couldn't hear what they were saying, John could see how happy Eva was, as well as how happy her husband was.  He felt the slightest pang of jealousy in his bowels realizing that he could have been the one smiling as he watched Eva walk away.  He knew he would never have a relationship like that with Sarah or anyone else.

            As soon as Frank entered the building, John got out of his car and made his way across the street.  He walked into the lobby of the building and without realizing it said, "I'm such an idiot," just loud enough to be noticed.

            "Pardon me, sir?"  He looked up to see a young, attractive woman seated in a reception area.

            He snapped himself out of the funk he was in and began to exude his sickeningly fake charm.  "Oh, nothing, miss, just forgot to fill up my tank on the way here this morning."  He flashed her a wide smile.  "My name is John Trafford, I'm with Collins Ahern, and well, Trafford."  (John made partner at the firm, even without a trophy wife.)

            "Oh, Mr. Trafford," the secretary said, slightly batting her eyes at him, "I was expecting Mr. Ahern this morning."

            John cleared his throat.  "Yes, he was supposed to be here, but had a family issue to tend to.  Um, I feel a bit incompetent asking, but where is it exactly that I'm going?"

            "Let's see here."  She hit some keys on her keyboard and looked intently at her monitor.  "You're up on the seventh floor.  The conference room is the last door on the left."

            "Thank you very much, miss."

            She smiled at him.  "You're quite welcome, Mr. Trafford."  


	2. Meeting Frank

John got in the elevator and rode to the seventh floor.  He wondered whether or not he would be in the same room as Frank and if so…well…if so, what?  He found his way to the conference room where there were already a few people seated; he nodded at them as he made his way to the front of the room.  He looked down to open his briefcase and when his eyes again scanned the room, he saw the man who had kissed Eva in front of the building passing through the doorway.  

John had to do his best to keep from staring; Frank certainly wasn't what he had expected to see.  There were no glasses, no pocket full of pens, and no starched shirt.  Instead, Frank was wearing a pair of jeans and a black button-down shirt with the first few buttons undone and his sleeves rolled half way up.  In place of the imagined Drew Carey hairstyle there was a full head of thick, black, curly locks that were the slightest bit untamed.  John couldn't help but to think of Frank as one of those "cool rebel type guys" that all of the girls fawned over in high school.  The one thing that satisfied John ever so slightly was that he couldn't see anything spectacular about his physique; he certainly wasn't built like John, "Mr. Captain of the Football Team."

            There was another very noticeable aspect of Frank: he was indeed incredibly appealing to women.  John guessed that women would find Frank attractive (he made a habit of not wondering whether or not a man was good looking), but this was confirmed when he witnessed the way the female population of the room ogled Frank as he passed them.  Had that been their reaction to John, he would have reveled in it; Frank, however, didn't even seem to notice their stares.

            When everyone was seated, the head of the department introduced John.  He gave a rather dull presentation warning the employees to document everything they do carefully, as the number of lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies grows constantly.  As he spoke, he looked around at everyone in the room and tried not to stop and stare at Frank.

The meeting ended and John took his time in packing up his things.  He was tempted to find an excuse to talk to Frank…but about what?  He picked up his briefcase and his temptation won over his common sense.  He walked through the hallway in search of Frank's office.  When he came to the door that had the nameplate F. Falconer next to it he froze for a moment, almost turning around.  Again, his curiosity triumphed; he just _had_ to meet the man that had Eva.

He lifted a slightly shaky fist and knocked on the doorframe.  Frank didn't look up from his desk at first; John could see that he was calculating something.

"Yes?" Frank asked

"Mr. Falconer?" John said trying to sound confident.

Frank looked up with an expression of surprise.  "Mr. Trafford?  May I help you?"

            John smiled.  "This is a bit embarrassing, you knowing who I am and all…"

            "Pardon?" Frank interrupted.  "I'm sorry, I know you?"

            "Well, you don't _know me_ know me, but I'm sure you know _of_ me."

            "I apologize if I'm mistaken, but I'm quite sure I haven't the slightest idea of who you are, aside from the fact that you just presented down the hall."

            "John Trafford."  He repeated his name as if Frank had never heard it before.  He then added, "I, uh, well, I was engaged to your wife…Eva."

            Frank's eyes grew wide.  "Oh, I see.  You know, I'm not sure I had ever heard Eva mention your last name before."  John didn't respond, so Frank sat in uncomfortable silence for a moment.  "Er, is there something I can help you with?"

            "Well, I um…"  John felt like a fool; he didn't know what he was doing.  He decided to be honest with Frank.  "…truth be told, I was curious about you."

            "Curious?"

            "Yes.  I wanted to meet the man that married Eva."

            Frank was unsure of how he should have taken that statement.  He stood up and circled to the front of his desk.  "Alright, I suppose.  Um, any particular reason?"

            "Well, I spoke with her a couple of months ago and she seemed really happy.  I guess I just was interested in meeting you."  John spotted two framed pictures on Frank's desk; they were caddy cornered so you could see them if you were seated either in front of it or behind it.  The first picture was a portrait of Eva and Faye taken shortly after Frank's "return" home.  John smiled when he looked at it.  "You have a gorgeous daughter," he said nonchalantly.

            "Er, thank you.  She takes after Eva."

            "I was pretty stupid for doing what I did to her, Eva I mean," he said as the other photo caught his eye.  It wasn't professionally taken, just a blown up snap shot, but one that spoke volumes.  It was of Frank and Eva and they were engaged in a rather provocative kiss.  It was taken at Audrey's house after their impromptu wedding.  "But I can see that worked to your advantage."  John could feel jealousy beginning to eat at him.

             "Yes, it did.  I believe it worked to hers as well."  Frank saw him staring at the photo; a partial smile crossed his lips.  "I realize that the office may not be the most appropriate place for such a photograph, but it is a _very_ happy memory of mine and it shows Eva's sensual side quite well."

            Obviously, John wasn't there when the photo was taken, but he could just tell that at that moment, forever frozen in time, Eva was kissing Frank with more passion and love than she ever bestowed on him in their five years together.  

            "How did you do it?" John asked, his tone changing.

            "Do what?" Frank asked, puzzled.

            "How in one night did you manage to steal her away from me?"

Frank laughed.  "Steal her?  That's quite possibly the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.  I believe that she caught you with her sister…"

            "And you took advantage of her," John said gruffly.

            "Advantage?"  Frank was doing his very best to keep his tone calm and steady.  "I think that perhaps you should leave this topic alone.  There's no need to drudge up…"

            "You found a vulnerable young woman who was half toasted and…"

            "And how do you know she was intoxicated?" Frank asked raising an eyebrow.

            For a moment John felt guilt course through his veins.  "I urged her to have a good time that night."

            "So you could sneak off and be with her sister?"

            John's words came quickly, almost running together.  "You don't have the right to judge me, especially since you were able to force yourself on her due to the state she was in.  You manipulated her enough to sleep with a complete stranger.  My Eva would never…"

"No!" Frank shouted; he then quickly lowered his voice.  "Let's clear one thing up before we continue with this drivel.  She is not _your_ Eva; she is not _my_ Eva either.  She is her _own_ person.  Was she vulnerable?  Yes, slightly, but I have never _forced_ myself on anyone."  He thought to himself, "Persuasion is a different matter all together."  He then continued.  "Eva made an unclouded decision to do what she did that night.  She wanted to drown out what she had seen and I simply helped her to move on."  Frank let his tone become slightly conceited.  "She needed someone to console her…mind _and_ body.  I must admit, I think I was a wonderful source of therapy for her."

            "You smug bastard."

            "Ah, name calling, very mature of you, Mr. Trafford.  I gave, and still do give, Eva what she needs in every sense…and I always will.  From what I understand, you treated her terribly…"

            "I never did anything to her!" John interrupted.

            "I think that was the point.  You acted as though she wasn't there…except for the few times you stumbled home and tried to have your way with her."

            "You don't know what you're talking about."

            "Eva has told me everything that happened between the two of you.  I still can't understand how a gorgeous and loving creature such as Eva fell for an insect like you."  Frank was now being terribly arrogant and he had every right to be.  The man in front of him was lucky that Frank's old temper didn't flare up.

John detested the way Frank had just spoke to him, trying to sound like he was so much better for her than he ever was.  He thought that it might be fun to see just how far he could push Frank.  "Or maybe my opinion of her was never right.  Maybe she's nothing more than a slut."

Frank felt his face grow hot, but he still tried to keep his composure.  "How dare you say something so vile and untrue…"

            "I could have given her everything she wanted."

            "Material things, perhaps, though I must admit that we're doing quite well for ourselves.  However, I can give her far more than you ever could have.  In fact, I gave her something that she wanted terribly, but that you made very clear to her you never wanted any part of…I've given her a child."

            "Big deal, you screwed her and she got pregnant."

            Frank could no longer contain himself; he clenched his fists and breathed deeply.  "I have never once 'screwed' her," he said in a harsh voice.  This new tone caused John to back up ever so slightly.  "It sickens me more than you could ever fathom that I was once so much like you.  You're so damned insecure about yourself that you have to jump from bed to bed to prove that you're a man."  Frank chuckled a bit.  "Or perhaps you need to move from woman to woman because you can't really satisfy any one person for a given length of time."              

Frank began to walk towards John, slowly backing him towards the door, his tone once again callous.  "In either case, as far as I'm concerned, you are _nothing_.  And while it saddens me deeply that the woman I love more than anything in this universe had the atrocious fortune of being with you for five years of her life, I can't help but to revel in your stupidity.  Had you not been such a swine, I wouldn't be as fortunate as I am."  

Frank closed his eyes for a moment, remembering that he was no longer the man he was in the castle; if he had been, John would most likely be on his knees begging for the pain to stop.  "Before Eva, this would have been a moment where I would have liked nothing more than to see you in some sort of physical agony for the things you have said…however, my views on life have changed drastically and I am fully satisfied in knowing not only that you spoke of her so dreadfully due to your jealousy, but also that you realize that you let a true goddess let slip away from you."  Frank turned and walked to his desk.  "I think it would be best if you would escort yourself out of this room."

John left Frank's office both terrified and strangely, more curious.  What did he mean about "before he met Eva?"  Did this man who claims to love her with every fiber of his being have a sordid past?  John was now determined to find out just who Frank Falconer was.


	3. Standing Up To John

            As soon as he got into the lobby of the building, John called Stuart's office from his cell phone.  Stuart and John had been best friends ever since they played football together at Denton High.  "Celia, patch me through to Stuart, please."

            "I'm sorry, Mr. Trafford, he's not in right now.  May I take a message?"

            "Is he on a job?"

            "Yes, sir."

            John became a bit annoyed.  "Can you tell me where?"

            "He's at his site on Orchid Drive."

            "Thank you, Celia."

            "You're very welcome, Mr. Trafford," she giggled.

            John raced to a development just outside of the city.  Within a few minutes, he was pulling in front of an almost completed home; he spotted Stuart right away.  He honked his horn and got out of the car.

            "John?" Stuart said to himself.  John trotted to his side.  Stuart's voice had a concerned tone to it when he asked, "What are you doing here?"

            "What do you know about Falconer?" John asked abruptly.

            "Huh?"

            "Frank Falconer, I know you knew him before he took Eva away from me."  John was acting a bit colder than usual, even for John.

            "Whoa, calm down, John.  Ya, I know Frank, but it's not like he's my best friend or anything."  (Actually, Stuart had become quite a good friend to Frank.  Frank had fixed him up with a woman from work.  They had been spending quite a bit of time with Frank and Eva.)

            "I need to know more about him, Stuart!"

            "Why?  Why now?  He and Eva have been together for over a year and…"

            "I met him today."

            Stuart's eyes widened.  "You what?"

            "Met him…tried to be a nice guy, but he got all cocky with me and…"

            "What did you say to him, John?" Stuart asked.  "Frank never loses his cool unless…ugh…what did you say about Eva?"

            "Whaddaya mean?"

            "You must've said something pretty awful about her because that's the only reason I've ever seen him get upset.  Some guy that had a bit too much to drink made a pass at Eva in a restaurant; she politely blew him off, but he had to go and open his mouth calling Eva some lewd names…Frank had a few choice things to say to him…"

            John interrupted.  "And you know this how?"

            "I was there with Amanda," Stuart lied; he _was_ there with Amanda, but they were having dinner _with_ Frank and Eva.  "Anyway, you must've pissed him off.  So again I ask, what did you say to him?"

            "Well, he was acting like he was all better for Eva than I was.  I thought pushing the guy's buttons would be fun…so I _may_ have said something about Eva just being a sl…"

            "A what?"

            "Um, slut.  I didn't mean it though, you know I'd never mean that."

            "Oh, God, John, you're an idiot.  There had to be something else though if he really got on you."

            "Well, ya, but only because he…"

            Stuart couldn't help but smile at John's stupidity.  "Spit it out, John, this ought to be pretty damn good."

            "Well, he was all," John tried to sound like Frank, "'I gave her what you couldn't, I gave her a child.'"  His voice returned to normal.  "So I said something like, 'Big deal, you screwed her and she got pregnant.'"

            "You brought the baby into it?  Be glad he only uses harsh wording."

            "That's just it, that's why I'm here!  He told me to be glad he was with Eva because before he met her, he was a different person.  He said he would have liked to have seen me in some serious pain."  John then tried to sound concerned.  "What kind of guy is my baby with?"

            "Jesus, John, she's not _your_ baby.  Face it; you treated her like she wasn't alive.  You're still screwing her sister and…"

            "Oh, please!  You wouldn't be saying any of this if it wasn't for the fact that you wanted Eva so badly yourself!  Half the guys in Denton wanted to get into her pants, and you were one of them!  And why not?  She's perfect."

            Stuart became a bit defensive.  "You're right.  I won't deny that I was attracted to her, but I didn't just want 'down her pants.'  You had her, the whole amazing person.  And if you thought she was so perfect, why did you treat her the way you did?  You only wanted her when you couldn't find any other woman whose legs were spread."  Stuart shook his head at John.  "God, John…you cheated on her so many times.  Eva is my friend and I never said a word to her."

            "You're a more loyal friend to _me_, Stuart…well, except for the fact that you knew that she slept with someone and you played dumb for a while.  Guys have to stick together and…"

            Stuart's tone became icy as he interrupted John.  "That night at my party, when Eva saw you and Sarah, my loyalty changed."  John looked at him, bewildered at what he might say next.  "I knew that she slept with Frank, and yes, Frank _had_ a questionable reputation that Eva's fully aware of, but I didn't feel any need to be loyal to _you_ by telling you about it.  Aside from the fact that I figured you were most likely too worn out from Sarah to care, I knew that Frank would have at least made Eva think that there were some feelings between them - she deserved that, even if it wasn't true.  Lucky for both of them it was."

            John rolled his eyes.  "What are you blabbing about, Stuart?"

            "Frank _never_ went looking for someone after he'd had them, but he seemed a bit rattled about Eva.  She had already left…However, I spoke to her before she made it out the door.  She told me about seeing you and Sarah, she told me about sleeping with Frank, and she told me she was going to have everything of hers out of your place the next day.  She was a wreck.  The only thing I told Frank was Eva's last name.  He took up the initiative to find her and he succeeded.  They were made for each other, John, don't try to tear that apart."

            "Wait a minute," John started.  "Just because Eva is this guy's exception to a one night screw, they're made for each other?"

            Stuart was beginning to get angry.  He let out a disgusted sigh.  "You truly are dense, John.  What they did that night was the beginning of something that has drastically changed both of their lives for the better.  Let it go, John.  Let _her_ go."

            "You know a little too much about this whole thing, Stuart."

            "You know what?  You're right, I do.  You wanna know why?"

            "That _is_ why I'm here," John said rudely.

            "I'm their friend, John."

            "Your _Eva's_ so-called friend."

            "No, I'm _their_ friend.  Eva's _and_ Frank's.  Why should I give a damn about your opinion about it anymore?"  John couldn't believe the stand that Stuart was taking against him.  "You see Frank as someone who stole your property; I see him as someone who makes one of my closest friends happier than you ever did and ever could."

            Unlike a normal human being, John wasn't hurt by Stuart's harsh words; he was more shocked that he had confronted him at all.  "Well, with or without your help, I'm going to find out what this guy's deal is.  Since you claim to be his friend, you're obviously no longer mine."

            Stuart turned and began to walk towards the house.  He only walked a few steps before turning back to John.  John waited for an apology, but instead heard Stuart say, "I don't know why I ever was."


End file.
